Celebrity Cast to Headline Benefit for Upper West Side Landmark

A group of high-profile actors and public figures is set to gather in East Hampton on August 31 for a special performance aimed at supporting the preservation of Manhattan’s West Park Presbyterian Church. The event, hosted at Guild Hall, will feature a staged reading of the screenplay for the 1983 film *The Big Chill*.

The production is directed by David Saint and will include a post-performance discussion moderated by CNN anchor Dana Bash. The announced cast features Marisa Tomei, Matthew Broderick, Ayo Edebiri, Amy Brenneman, Brian d’Arcy James, Spencer Garrett, and Ilana Levine. New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams is also scheduled to participate, with organizers noting that additional cast members may be announced in the coming weeks.

Proceeds from the evening are intended to assist The Center at West Park, an arts nonprofit that has been spearheading efforts to protect the 136-year-old structure at Amsterdam Avenue and 86th Street. The building has been the focus of a protracted preservation struggle, and this event marks the latest in a series of high-profile fundraisers hosted at Guild Hall to support the cause. Previous efforts have included similar staged readings featuring notable actors such as Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johansson, and Robert Downey Jr.

While the church remains a focal point of local preservation discussions, the upcoming reading highlights the continued involvement of the entertainment community in the effort to determine the future of the historic site. Further information regarding the event and the preservation campaign can be found through the official websites for Guild Hall and The Center at West Park.